Clutch.



PATBNTED 00T. 2s, 1906.

CLUTCH.

. APPLICATION FILED JULY 2o, 1905.

PATENT loEErcE.

CHARLES o. sNYDEE,

or NEW YORK,` N. Y.A

CLUTCH.

Specication of Letters Patent.

" Patented Oct. 23, 1906.

Application filed July 20, 1905. Serial No'. 270,452.

To all whom t may concel'rnl:v 3

. Be it known that I, CHARLES O. SNYDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, inthe borou h of Manhattan andState of New York, ave invented certain new andA useful Improvements in Clutches, ofwhich the following is a full,

- clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to clutches. A

One of lthe serious difficulties which is found inthe use of friction-clutches is the slipping of the parts when they have become worn. A well-known form ofiriction-clutch v -pensate for this wear, but it is inconvenient to manipulate the adjustments as oftenas the wear of the parts really necessitates.

It is the "purpose of my invention to devise a construction by which this wear may be compensated forl Within certain limits entirely automatically,.so that the packing-sur face may wear to a considerable extent bee :fore manipulation of the hand adjustment becomes necessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which. shall be of simple construction, convenient to manufacture, and eiiicient in operation'.

With these andv other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, combination, location, and arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally particularly pointed out in' the appended claims.

. Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view, partlyin side elevation, of a friction-clutch embodying the principles 'of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now ,to the drawings and to the various views and reference-signs appearin thereon, of which like parts are designate by they same reference-signs whereverthey occur, 1 indicates the driving part, 'compris-` trated. l ,A

2 -denotes the driven part, which maybe tion to the driving-axle of a motor-vehicle or any other mechanism.

In the form of clutch'which I have shown there is` included 4the usual gear-box 4, having the reversethis form of c utch the two frictional surfaces,

- which move lunitary with the driving and the driven parts, respectively, when the clutch-is in normal operation, are adapted to have Aother movements under certain conditions due to the change-gear mechanism; but a con-- sideration of these features is unnecessary in the present case, since they form no part of my lnvention.

merely necessary to considerthe relation of the partsunder normal conditions when the driving-cone of the frictionclutch rotates with and is virtually a part of the drivingshaft 1.

5v designates the driving part of the friction-clutch proper and comprises a revoluble drum having'an internal annular face 6 of laringor conical shape.

clutch and 4comprises a conical extension of the casing 4, having a pitch to accord with the annular conical face `6, so that the two their entire surfaces.

8 denotes a packing material, of leather, liber, wood, fabric, or other similar or analogous material, which is placed between the opposed surfaces 6 and 7.

The v'foregoing parts are of the usual and well-known construction and form no part of my present invention. They are taken merely by way of exampley to show the application of the real .features of my invention, and it is obvious that any other form of parts may be used in lieu thereof.

Upon the outside face oi the drum 5 I are member. This in its preferred Jforni includes limited movement with relation to said drum Mand resiliently pressed outward therefrom.

practical construction of I have shown a .ling the -main drivel-shaft of the engine thei particular embodiment of my invention illus- 1peed mechanism ftherein. 'In

For the purpose ofthe present case it is provided with a sprocket-wheel 3 forconnecl 7 denotes the coacting driven part of the l may be-iiorced into intimate contact over range what I shall term a compensating a plate, ring, 'or other member having a compensating member' constituted by forni-4 ing on the outsideiace of the drum 5 a series of cavities 9, and Within them i provide a plurality of springs 1G.

11 denotes a ring or member mounted to have a movement relative to the drum 5, and for this purpose l have provided screws 12, having upper cylindrical shanks 13 and heads 14, 1the Shanks 13 engaging holes Within the member 11, so as to hold and guide said member, permitting a slight longitudinal movement thereoil outward and away from the casing 5. The springs 10, before mentioned, eoperate with and hear upon. this ring or member 11 with considerable force, so as to maintain it normally at its limit of outward movement against the heads le ol the screvvsA 12. y

15 indicates a comparatively,T large spiral spring hearing upon the drum 5 to force itio into unclutcned relation. lt is obvious that springs of other 'iorms than those shove mentioned or resilient pads, oi ruhher, or other articles may he employed and still fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

16 denotes levers or cam-iingers iulcrumed at points 17 on a lange 18, screw-threaded on a portion oi or otherwise adjustable with relation to the drum 5. Each of the lingers has a toe 19 hearing against the outer tace of the ring 11 and is also provided with a camrollerwEO, arranged to cooperate with the earn 2l Whichis'arranged to slide longitudinally othe shaft 1 in the form of my invention' shown. The cam 21 has a steeplyinclined Jface 21a and a longitudinal cylindrical portion 2lb, terminating in a rounded collar or ilange 21B.

22 indicates a lever fulcrumed at 23 and having a link 24 and adapted for operating the cam 21. For this purpose it is provided With studs or pins 25, engaging a collar 2 6, which forms a part of said cam.

The general operation'of the clutch will, he understood from the preceding description, reference being had to Fig. l, which illustrates the clutch in its gripped relation. it will be seen that when motion is given to the link 2d the cam 21 is slid hack and forth uponv its shaft 1, thereby rocking the lingers 16 about their iulerum-point. The toe 19 oi each lever'bears upon the compensating ring 11 and applies movement thereto.

1 will now describe the operation of the arts which relate more particularly to the eatures of my invention.

The springs 9 normally maintain the compensating ring `11. at its limit of outward movement against the heads 14 oi the screws `12. in order to make this possible, the aggregate pressure or the springs 10 is conveniently made great than that oi the springi. When now movement is applied to the compensating ring 11, force is trans mitted through the springs 10 to the drum 5 and the drumcasing is moved to grip the clutch with a force equal to the aggregato tension of said springs 10 minus that of the returning-spring 15. l adjust the relativo tension ot the 'various springs so that this gripping pressure is sullicicnt for practical purposes, amounting to about .forty pounds in actual use. The casing 5 moves under the a plied. Jforce and impels the packing materia 6 into contact with the casing 7, alter which further movement is impossible. lf the packing material is new or has not heen Worn to any extent, this Will occur almost immediately and the subsequent movement oi the coi'upensating ring 1l, induced hy thc levers 16 and the cam 2i, which has a deiinite and .Fixed throw, taken up by the relative movement oi' the compensating ring ll and the drum 5, the springs l() yielding for this purpose. As thc packing material (i hc comes worn, the throw ci thc drum 5 to grip the clutch becomes necessarily greater, and as the levers 16 and compei'isating ring 1l move the same distance as before thc force is transmitted through the springs l() without compressing them to so great an extent. Such Wear may continue and the clutch be as effective as ever until the point is reached Where the movement of the compensating plate is transmitted to the drum 5 without compressing the springs l() at all, after which the usual adjustment of the clutch must be manipulatedas, for example, the screwlange 18 in the construction illustrated.

lt will he seen that the packing-surface 8 of the clutch may be allowed to wear through the entire distance of movement oi the compensating ring 11 hcfore. handeedjustment is necessary, so that the clutch may he used Without attention through much greater dis tances or longer periods than heretofore.

While l have shown a particular form of construction eiuhodying thc )rinciples of my invention, i do not desire to lie limited or rcstricted thereto, since it is evident that thc invention may he embodied in Widely-varying 'forms of mechanism. For example, it is not essential that the compensating mcmhcr should cooperate with the driving parts, but it is my act to move the driven parts, if dc sired, acting in substantially the same way as it noW does in connection with the driving parts.`

What l claim is- 1. A clutch comprising a driving and o. driven part, a ring having spring connections with one of said arts, and meansfor moving said ring throng i the instrumentality of said spring connections.

2. A. friction-clutch comprising a driving and a driven part having opposed frictionfaces, a packing material lictwcen said faces, a compensating ring, means upon one of said parts for guiding said compensating ring to lave a movement relative thereto, a spring interposed between said part and ring, and

IOO

IIO

IIS

` ceases means for applying clutching movement to said ring. i 3'. A friction-clutch comprising having afrietion-face, a driven easing having an opposed friction face, a compensatingl ring guided by said drum and having a Inove-r ment relative thereto, a spring between said ring and drum, and fingers engaging said ring. 4. A. friction-clutch comprising a driving and a driven part, means for moving them into frictional en agement, 'a clamping-ring in the path of said mediate said clamping-ring an( the driven part, whereby the wear of the frictionallyengaging surfaces is compensated for.

In a friction-clutch, a'main shaft having va sliding cam thereon, a plurality of fingers 'bearing on said cam, a member contacting with 'said fingers, a drum'and casing having opposed frictional laces and arranged to have a lrelative movement, and resilient connections for imparting said moveinentl'romsaid member.

6. In a friction-clutch, a drum having a plurality of recesses in its face, a compensating ring guided and spring-pressed outward- Vrin slidable upon said studs, springs wit in sai recesses and bearing on said ring, and means for applying movement to said ring.

9. In ajriction-clutch, a'drum having an internal annular' friction-face and recesses on its opposite side, a driven drum having a face opposed to said annular face, a packingmate- H8.

between said faces, aring guided to have .a

movement relative to said drum, springs means, and springs interand cam-fingers arranged to en age said ring.

spring pressed into se arated relation, 'a

withinA said recesses and bearing on saidii'ing,

d 10. In afriction-clutch, a riving and a v driven ,part having a relative movement and member guided by oneo said parts andhavj ing a movement relative thereto, resilient means intermediate of said member and` parts, means for appl ing movement tosaid member, and means or adjusting the rangel of saidmovement. Y l

11.` In a friction-clutch, -a driving and a driven part having a relative movement and spring pressed into separated relation, a member guided by one of Asaid'parts and having a movementrelative thereto, resilient` means intermediate of said member and parts, means for applying movement to said member, including a collar having threads thereon to adjust it longitudinally;

12. A friction-clutch comprisinga drivingdrum having recesses in its outer face, a se-A -ries of screws having cylindrical Vsha'nks .and enlarged heads thereon and located in said face and between said recesses, a ring having holes enga ing said screw-Shanks and ar- Y ranged to ave a movement outward and' from theV drum limited by said screw-heads, resilient means located in said recesses and bearing on said ring, a collar having threadsthereon to adjust it longitudinally, alurality of'eam-o eratediingers fulcrume -on said collar and caring on said ring, a driven casing having a friction-face opposed to said.

8oY v and connections for operating said earn-firk' driving-drum and containing changegears,

gers,whereby relative movement is imparted to said friction-faces to operate the clutch.

In witness whereof I subscribe my signa-l ture in the presence of two witnesses.- l

I l l eHAs. 0. sNrDER;

-Witnessesz` I Louis S. CozzENs, FRANK W,.KE izeiA1-I.l 

